-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The protests that have spread through parts of the Arab world led to dramatic change in another country Tuesday , as Jordan 's king dismissed his government .

King Abdullah II made the decision following protests in recent weeks in which several thousand people demanded economic and political reforms .

Experts on the region said Tuesday Abdullah 's decision was aimed at warding off larger-scale demonstrations in the wake of the huge protests in Tunisia and Egypt . The Tunisia protests , which began the movement , toppled that country 's government . In Egypt , President Hosni Mubarak has fired his Cabinet , but protesters in massive demonstrations continue to call for his ouster .

The protests -- which have also caught on to various extents in Algeria , Yemen , and Sudan -- have proved to be `` a real watershed event for the Arab world , '' said Blake Hounshell , managing editor of Foreign Policy magazine . `` It 's really unprecedented . ''

There was a series of protests in Arab nations in the 1950s , but those were prompted by an ideology of Pan-Arabism in a post-colonial world , said Emile Hokayem , with the International Institute for Strategic Studies . A 2005 uprising in Lebanon was about independence and ousting Syria . While it was successful , the revolution 's message was not one that other nations associated with , he said .

`` It 's different this time . People are standing up for their economic rights , their dignity . It 's very different , '' said Hokayem .

Ibrahim Sharqieh of the Brookings Institution said there 's a whole new mind-set .

`` The Tunisian uprising has caused change in the attitude and behavior of ordinary Arab citizens -- and today we are witnessing the emergence of a can-do nation attitude , '' he explained .

Economic concerns have fueled the protests across the region . At a speech Tuesday in Singapore , Dominique Strauss-Kahn , managing director of the International Monetary Fund , said the need for action against unemployment was `` a strong undercurrent of the political turmoil in Tunisia , and of rising social strains in other countries , '' according to his prepared remarks .

Arab leaders have been getting the message , Hokayem said , noting an article in the Wall Street Journal in which Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said leaders must `` see the need of reform '' before protests like those in Egypt and Tunisia break out , because by then `` it 's too late to do any reform . ''

Abdullah 's decision and Assad 's remarks `` are preventive moves , '' said Hokayem .

Hounshell noted that the Jordanian king has sacked his government before in recent years . `` But in the context of what 's happening now , it 's going to be seen as a way to get ahead of these protests . ''

When the Tunisia protests proved successful at first , many analysts still doubted a `` domino theory '' would play out through the Middle East , said Hokayem , because each nation has a different structure , population , and set of challenges . But `` right now , it seems like it 's a possibility . So I think governments are trying to prevent what could be copycat movements in the region . ''

The level of solidarity in the Arab world has come as a surprise to some experts , said Hokayem . But `` it 's a matter of psychology at this point . People feel that there is an overture , and they want to push , want to do it . ''

Still , there are key differences . `` I still think that monarchies have an edge in terms of legitimacy , '' Hokayem said . Tunisia , Egypt , and Yemen are officially republics , and leaders were gearing up for successions by bringing their children to power , sparking fury and frustration in an underserved population .

In Gulf state monarchies , such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia , uprisings that threaten the government are `` less likely , '' said Hounshell . `` But I would n't rule it out . ''

The United States views Egypt , Jordan , and Saudi Arabia as key allies in the region . The Saudi kingdom has been stable for decades . `` If Saudi Arabia starts to see popular protests , '' said Hounshell , `` then you 're really going to see people in Washington freak out . ''

It remains unclear how far the change in any of these countries might go . In Jordan , whether the king will regain support from protesters by dismissing his government is `` a million dollar question , '' said Hounshell .

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NEW : Analyst : A `` can-do nation attitude '' is emerging

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Whether Jordan 's king will gain support is a `` million dollar question ''

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`` It 's really unprecedented , '' Hounshell says

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Experts believe monarchies may be more secure